The present invention relates to a sanitary device and a method for operating a sanitary device for a conveyance and the use of a sanitary device in a conveyance, as well as a conveyance having a sanitary device.
In modern conveyances, sanitary devices and/or washrooms are set up in the passenger cabins, which comprise self-contained cabins, or compartments. The sanitary devices are equipped, for example, with wash basins, toilets, or even shower stalls.
The water required for wash basins and toilet flushing is carried along in separate tanks, which are typically located outside the sanitary device.
The wastewater from the wash basins or the toilet apparatuses is, for example, collected and disposed of at specific service points provided for this purpose, for example, a railway station or an airport. For example, it is typical for aircraft to discharge the wastewater from wash basins directly outward into the environment via an outlet connecting part, the so-called drain mast. The wastewater is previously filtered and separated from coarse particles and contaminants. The wastewater is subsequently discharged to the environment.
The wastewater from the toilets is transported using a vacuum system into a feces collection container in aircraft. For this purpose, a pressure differential between the cabin pressure and the external pressure is exploited to convey the wastewater. Furthermore, a wastewater transport may also be performed using a vacuum pump which generates a partial vacuum.
Moreover, so-called recirculation toilets are also used, in which the wastewater is separated from the solids and the residual liquid is admixed with disinfectant. Subsequently, the wastewater thus treated may be used again for flushing toilet apparatuses.
In the two latter sanitary devices, the wastewater is removed from the containers at specific service points provided for this purpose, the containers remaining in the conveyance, such as an aircraft, a ship, a train, or a bus.
For example, all wastewater is introduced into a central wastewater container, which has the result that every sanitary device must be connected to this central wastewater tank using wastewater pipes. Furthermore, the possibility exists of pumping out the wastewater via external connections. Because of the fixed external connections or the complex pipe systems of the sanitary devices having central freshwater and wastewater containers, the mobility and/or the free positioning of the sanitary device in cabin spaces of conveyances is restricted. The ability to position the sanitary device within a cabin is fixed by the geometries predefined by the freshwater and wastewater system.
Especially in aircraft, particularly in transport aircraft having changing areas of use (MRT—multi-role transporter), a high flexibility is needed when designing interior furnishings of the cabins.